


Bad Timing

by orphan_account



Series: Scarred For Life [2]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: M/M, Psychological Trauma, What Have I Done, You Have Been Warned, getting drunk, venting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-19
Updated: 2013-09-19
Packaged: 2017-12-27 00:34:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/972195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The aftereffects of a really bad day...</p><p>Sequel to Inattentive Gentlemen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bad Timing

"Julian and Garak are _what_?!" Chief of Operations Miles O'Brien spluttered, nearly spitting out his mouthful of double-sweet, black coffee.

"That's what _I_ said," First Officer Kira Nerys remarked wryly.

"I know, Julian didn't strike me as the type, either," Lietenant Commander Jadzia Dax grinned. "But you have to admit, they are cute together..."

"C _ute_?" Miles said incredulously, turning a pale chartreuse.

"I mean, the way Garak gets all protective of Julian whenever anyone else so much as looks at him," Jadzia continued, "and they get into the most _adorable_ fights in public!"

Just then, Captain Benjamin Sisko walked into Quark's, sat down on a barstool, and hid his head in his hands. "Quark?" came his muffled voice.

"Yes, Captain?" The Ferengi asked, curious as to exactly what the captain was doing in his humble establishment.

"Get me a bottle of the strongest synthale you have," Benjamin ordered, peering through his fingers.

"Right away, sir." Quark scuttled off, wondering why anyone would need a drink that strong.

And he wasn't the only one. "Bad day, Benjamin?" Jadzia asked sympathetically, moving to sit on the stool next to him.

"You could say that, old man," Benjamin groaned, finally looking up.

"Well, come on, tell me all about it," Jadzia urged. "Get it out of your system!"

Benjamin sighed. "It wasn't so much a bad day as bad timing..." he began to explain, then paused as a thought occured to him. "Then again, Julian might want me to keep this to myself..." he mused, thinking it over.

"Julian?" A light dawned in Jadzia's eyes. "This wouldn't have anything to do with Julian and Garak's new status, would it?" she asked slyly, keeping an eye on the captain.

"Julian and Garak have a status now?" Strangely enough, Benjamin didn't look too surprised. "I guess there is no point in me keeping quiet, then."

"All right, Benjamin, what did you see them doing?" There was a wicked gleam in Jadzia's eyes.

Benjamin put his head back in his hands. He seemed to be debating whether to tell her. A moment passed, then he spoke. "The first time, Julian wasn't responding to my hails," he said to the counter. "I thought I'd check on him, see what was going on..." he trailed off.

" _And_?" Jadzia prompted eagerly.

"And I walked in the Infirmary and found Garak ki..." he stumbled over the word. "ki.. _kissing_ Julian..."

Jadzia started to laugh. Benjamin raised his head and gave her a dark look. "I'm sorry," she gasped between giggles. "It's just so..." Then she noticed the murderous expression on his face and stopped. "Go on. You said, the _first_ time..."

Benjamin hid his face again. "Quark!" he shouted. "Where's that synthale?"

"Coming right up..." Quark announced, rushing up to the counter and setting down a bottle and a glass. He poured some murky-looking liquid into the glass, then bowed and scurried off to service another customer.

Benjamin took a cautious sip of the synthale and _ahhhhhh_ -ed as the alcohol hit his system. Then, gazing into his glass like it held the mysteries of the Gamma Quadrant, he continued his unfortunate narrative. "There's a Klingon-Federation diplomatic council meeting next week," he began, "and my dress uniform had a rip along the sleeve. I took it to Garak's shop yesterday, and he told me to pick it up at 1400 hours today. Well-" he took another gulp. "I came to his shop after my shift in Ops was over, and Garak told me to wait a minute while he got my uniform from the back room. I must have waited out there for at least twenty minutes. I finally got sick of waiting and went into the back room to see what was wrong, and-" he broke off, staring into his drink.

"And _what_?" Jadzia asked, brimming with impatience.

Benjamin took a long swig from his glass. Setting it down, he looked straight at Jadzia for the first time since he’d walked into Quark's. "And _that_ , old man," he said, "is why I need to get drunk." With that, he picked up his glass and bottle and moved to the corner table, leaving Jadzia clutching at the counter in a vain attempt to keep from falling off her stool, laughter ringing in his ears as he made his way to the back of the bar.


End file.
